Fires in Brent have dropped by 17 per cent in the last five years according to figures released today.

A total of 596 fires took place in the borough last year, around 11 a week, compare to 715, 14 a week, in 2010/2011.

Terry Harrington, London Fire Brigade’s borough commander for Brent, said: “The figures are a credit to firefighters, fire engineers, fire investigators, community safety specialists and many other staff who have made huge progress in educating people about the importance of fire safety.

“We have worked incredibly hard with our partners in the borough to work on reducing the number of fires we attend and will continue to target those most at risk to prevent deaths and serious injuries.”

London has seen a drop in fires across the city in the last year for the firs time since records began in 1966.

There were 20,000 fewer fires in the last 12 months compared to the previous year.

An 80-year-old grandmother was called a “f***ing bitch” in a “foul outburst” by her alleged murderer months before she was strangled with a lawnmower cord in a Colindale allotment shed, the Old Bailey heard today.